The present invention relates, in general, to a drill guide, and specifically to a drill guide having depth gauge features for controlling or gauging the depth to which a drill is inserted into bone.
Various bone drilling apparatus used, for example, to prepare a pilot hole(s) in bone for receiving a screw(s) or other fixation mechanism(s) are known. Such drilling apparatus, in some instances, may include a guide for receiving a drill bit and guiding the same into the bone to be treated. Further, the particular drill guide may also operate to limit the insertion depth of the drill bit. Examples of such drill guides are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,294,303, 6,699,253, and 7,163,542. These devices operate to, predominantly, prepare and/or initialize a hole in bone so that a screw or other fixation device may be easily inserted into the bone and through the hole.
Depth gauges for use in determining the depth to which a particular drill bit is inserted into bone are also known. An example of such a depth gauge is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,180,388, which discloses a depth gauge including a handle having a bore and adjacent sides with a scale for determining the insertion depth of a wire-type drill. In the '388 patent, bone pins may be inserted into corresponding pre-drilled holes formed via the wire-type drill. Other depth gauge-type devices are known in the art, which provide stop-mechanisms for controlling the maximum insertion depth of a drill bit into bone.
In some instances, however, it may be difficult to utilize the aforementioned drill guides or depth gauges with another device, such as a bone plate being secured to the surgical treatment site. In other words, the particular constructs noted above may not be amenable to engaging with an aperture in a bone plate or other surgical device, which is being secured to bone. Other deficiencies of such devices may include the general mode of operation thereof (e.g., such devices may be cumbersome to use, due to the multitude of parts comprising the device, etc.)
Accordingly, there exists a need for an improved drill guide and/or depth gauge, which overcomes the deficiencies of the prior art.